Chelsea

Chelsea

Premier League • England

Redundant Chelsea outcast makes intentions clear but lack of progress sees options narrowing

Tiemoue Bakayoko AC Milan 2022 TEAMtalk1

Reports in Italy claim Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko is desperate to stay with Milan despite a lack of action with the Serie A giants.

The 27-year-old is currently in the first season of a two-year loan deal with I Rossoneri. It is the midfielder’s second loan stint at the San Siro, having spent the 2018-2019 campaign at the club. That proved to be a successful spell, with the France international enjoying 26 starts among 31 top-flight outings.

Bakayoko joined Chelsea from Monaco in the summer of 2017. But, having struggled during his first season at Stamford Bridge, the Parisian has become something of a nomad.

Unwanted by the Blues, he has been loaned to Monaco and Napoli in recent seasons before returning to Milan. But things have not gone to plan back in Italy, with only five league starts among 13 league appearances.

Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness) state that the schemer has a redemption clause in his contract. However, Milan have yet to make a decision on the player’s future as he ‘hasn’t played for a month’.

Manager Stefano Pioli’s preferred midfield setup is Franck Kessie, Sandro Tonali and Ismael Bennacer. Bakayoko has not featured since the 2-1 loss to Spezia on January 17.

He has stayed on the bench despite injuries seemingly presenting him with an opportunity.

Bakayoko with much to ponder

Bakayoko made just 43 appearances for Chelsea before embarking on his European adventure. It seems highly unlikely that Thomas Tuchel will give him a chance for redemption in west London.

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He will have a decision to make at the end of the campaign should Milan continue to keep him among the substitutes. The man with one France cap has a reported purchase clause of €15m for next summer.

But questions remain over whether Milan will pay that sum for a player now on the peripheries. The report adds that Milan may even seek an ‘early termination’ deal with Chelsea.

That would not please Bakayoko as he ‘would like to stay’ in Milan. Much can change between now and May, however, and the tough-tackling midfielder may be back in favour.

It is clear that his priority is to remain with Il Diavolo but the clubs involved will have a say in proceedings. Milan are third in the Serie A table but just one point behind table-topping Inter.

Thomas Tuchel with his head in his hands

Pioli’s men face a trip to second-placed Napoli on Sunday evening as their title challenge continues.

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